Interview Extra - Philip Glenister and Bernard Hill

Philip Glenister played tough copper Gene Hunt in Life On Mars, set during the Seventies, and worked his magic as him in the Eighties on Ashes To Ashes too. Now the actor has moved things on another decade to the Nineties, which is the setting for his new three-part drama From There To Herein which he plays troubled family man Daniel Cotton. TV Choice met Philip Glenister on the set of the series, where he was filming scenes with his co-star Bernard Hill, who plays Daniel’s father Samuel Cotton.

Can you give us your view of what the show is about?Philip Glenister: At the heart of it is family, which is always quite good for drama. You know the premise of it.

Bernard Hill: My character says the fact that there are lots of stories in every family, some of them are true and some not, it doesn't matter whether they’re true or not, but they’re all in there, and that’s what keeps families together. I suppose that, without giving away the actual story, is the nub of it.

Philip Glenister: And my character, his profound moment is when I say, ‘We all live lives that nobody sees and we all live lives that everybody sees.’ My character just can’t tell which is which sometimes.

At the heart of the drama is the family business, a sweet factory, which must adapt and change if it wants to survive. How do your characters feel about this?Bernard Hill: Actually Samuel goes more with it, as does his grandson Charlie (Daniel Rigby) than his father does.

Philip Glenister: If anyone’s reluctant in ways to change, in terms of the business, it’s Daniel.

The IRA bomb explosion acts as a catalyst, changing Daniel’s home life forever, as he gets involved in a complicated emotional situation as a result. How do you think audiences will react to Daniel’s affair?Philip Glenister: Cheers for that! I guess I’ll have to deal with that on The One Show! Well, I don’t want to say too much about it because I think it is a complicated piece and it's very difficult to talk about something when you’re actually filming it. The one thing I will say in Daniel’s defense is he does genuinely love these two women, that’s what I think Pete Bowker [the writer] is trying to say, which hopefully will come across.

Why is it so integral to the story that it’s set in this era and in Manchester?Philip Glenister: Well I think it hasn’t been done before and although it doesn’t feel like that long ago, while we’ve been filming it, it actually has felt slightly historical. It was such an extraordinary period of recent social and political history where we had 18 years of Conservative government ending and the country was crying out for change. And at the same time we had this amazing football tournament of Euro 96 about to start, so there was this feeling of optimism and euphoria right across the country, and I don’t think we’d had that. I can’t remember the last time we’d had that.

You both have connections to Manchester, Bernard you were born there and Philip with your work in Life On Mars. How’s it been returning to the city to make something so seeped in its history?Bernard Hill: In lots of ways not very pleasant really, especially when you’re filming on the same streets where the bomb hit. But in regards of drama, it’s good going back into Manchester’s history and seeing that again.

Philip Glenister: Well I completely forgot the bomb exploded on the same day as the England v Scotland game. But being back in Manchester, for me, it’s been lovely. It’s been very good to me this city and I’ve always enjoyed coming here. I’ve done 60 to 70% of my work in this city, so it has become a bit like my adopted home in a way.

Philip, what’s it been like working with your Life On Mars co-star Liz White again?Philip Glenister: Great. I adore Liz, she’s such a wonderful actress and she’s such a wonderful person to be around, she’s up and optimistic and being back in Manchester together — we’ve had a great laugh.

Bernard Hill: She is great to have around and she’s very positive, very kind and her smile beams all the time and everybody feels better by the fact she’s there. Well I certainly do. You kind of warm to her because she’s got this brilliant personality and her smile, it kind of helps everybody.

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